FIDM Museum Bloghttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/
For all the latest news from the FIDM Museumen-US2016-12-02T11:58:38-08:00

Addie Mastershttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/12/addie-masters.html
Though the weather outside is frightful, we’re warming up in California with our latest exhibition Sun-Drenched Style at the FIDM Orange County Campus. This exhibition showcases the work of five women designers in mid-century California. It was important to us to highlight California women in particular; you may have heard the names Claire McCardell, Bonnie Cashin, or Tina Leser, and perhaps you’re familiar with their achievements in mid-century American design. Yet California women were equally important in this space, and their proximity to the lifestyles that embraced sportswear made their designs all the more relevant. These women worked to lead...<p>Though the weather outside is frightful, we’re warming up in California with our latest exhibition <em><a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/current/#art-of-television-costume-design">Sun-Drenched Style </a></em>at the FIDM Orange County Campus. This exhibition showcases the work of five women designers in mid-century California. It was important to us to highlight California women in particular; you may have heard the names <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2012/05/claire-mccardell-dress-1952.html">Claire McCardell</a>, <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/09/bonnie-cashin.html">Bonnie Cashin</a>, or <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/09/skirttina-leserc-1955gift-of-mrs-carita-kadison20037925---detail-of-20037925.html">Tina Leser</a>, and perhaps you’re familiar with their achievements in mid-century American design. Yet California women were equally important in this space, and their proximity to the lifestyles that embraced sportswear made their designs all the more relevant. These women worked to lead the charge for a new interpretation of fashion, but they are often overlooked in favor of their east coast peers. We thought it was time to show how and why California women designers made their own unique contributions to American fashion.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab6c0970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_1167" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab6c0970d img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab6c0970d-320wi" title="IMG_1167" /></a></p>
<p>Addie Masters pictured in <em>Those Designing Women,&#0160;</em>The Los Angeles Fashion Group, 1977; courtesy of the FIDM Library</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab0c9970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_2253" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab0c9970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab0c9970d-800wi" title="IMG_2253" /></a></p>
<p>Addie Masters advertisement in<em> California Stylist,&#0160;</em>September 1941; courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Costumes &amp; Textiles Department</p>
<p>Today, we’d like to introduce our readers to Addie Masters (1901 – 1983), known in her private circle as the ultimate California hostess. Addie Masters is said to have thought that women were at their most beautiful in their own homes, and her gorgeous loungewear certainly fulfilled that ideal. Using vibrant colors and rich fabrics, Masters designed wide-leg culotte pants that followed the tradition of beach pajamas – a one-piece casual garment that she made more formal by using silks that draped like a gown. &#0160;Her designs were meant to be worn in the home, but could move seamlessly from pool to patio, kitchen to cabana. California’s sunny climate was ideal for outdoor entertaining, which grew in popularity as mid-century architecture integrated patios and pools into home designs. Masters’ designs aligned with the leisure activities embraced by California residents.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b73ff4970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267969--G111216A-0073B" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b73ff4970b img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b73ff4970b-800wi" title="267969--G111216A-0073B" /></a></p>
<p>(L) Hostess Pajamas, Addie Masters, c. 1959, silk surah, Gift of Terry Fry,&#0160;77.1320.2AB; (R) Sari Skirt, Addie Masters, 1950-1955, silk and metallic gauze, Gift of Elizabeth Robinson,&#0160;96.1118.7</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095a440f970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Pg (2)" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095a440f970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095a440f970d-800wi" title="Pg (2)" /></a></p>
<p>Masters dress featured in “Fashion: California: Garden architecture—and blossoming blues,” <em>Vogue</em>, April 15, 1954</p>
<div class="col-sm-7 col-md-9 col-lg-10">During World War II, Masters abandoned her hostess pajamas due to the L-81 fabric restrictions. She continued to design separates and evening dresses; her chic looks could be found on the pages of <em>Vogue</em> and&#0160;<em>Harper&#39;s Bazaar</em>. She also excelled in elegant day wear. One of her creations was dubbed the “wrap rascal” dress, a simple wrap-around style that debuted in 1939 – the same time <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2013/02/claire-mccardell-day-dress-c-1950.html">Claire McCardell</a> was being lauded on the East Coast for her similarly inventive wrap styles. In the late 1950s, Masters revived her signature hostess pajamas and recreated the style in colors and prints inspired by California. The Indian sari skirt displayed in <em><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/11/sun-drenched-style-now-open.html">Sun-Drenched Style</a>&#0160;</em>highlights Masters’ ease with separates, and the design also follows the popular 1950s trend of Eastern influences. The garment is paired with a bathing suit, which could easily transform the look from a casual swim to cocktail hour.&#0160;</div>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab153970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_2646" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab153970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab153970d-800wi" title="IMG_2646" /></a></p>
<p><em>California Stylist,&#0160;</em>July 1953; courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Costumes &amp; Textiles Department</p>
<p>It’s important to note that California itself played a vital role in selling the designs of Addie Masters and her peers. California was more than a place, it was a lifestyle and a state-of-mind - one that was effective in promoting local fashion. Buy clothes made in California, the ads proclaimed, and you’re purchasing relaxation and sunshine. It’s an effective advertising tool still used today – purchase Chanel perfume, and you’re transported to Paris. A Burberry trench takes you to London. And a pair of Addie Masters patio pajamas puts you poolside, sipping cocktails in Los Angeles. Tourism was exploding in the mid-twentieth century, and many visitors purchased “souvenir” clothes to remember their travels –our beaded Addie Masters western blouse is most likely an example of a garment someone would have bought to display their California adventure back home. Souvenir clothing also helped spread the word about the sporty apparel coming out of the West Coast.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab051970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267970--G111216A-0085A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab051970d img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095ab051970d-800wi" title="267970--G111216A-0085A" /></a></p>
<p>Blouse, Addie Masters, c. 1942, rayon crepe, beads, rhinestones, and metallic thread, Museum Purchase,&#0160;2009.5.67&#0160;&#0160;&#0160;&#0160;&#0160;</p>
<p>Much of California’s success in the fashion industry is owed to the organizations that tirelessly supported it. Among the groups that championed California fashion, the Affiliated Fashionists is one of the most impressive for its self-driven initiative. This small contingency of just eight women, including Addie Masters, formed out of their own volition in 1936. Their goal was to maintain the high standard of California design, and show that West Coast designers represented modern American women and their lifestyle. The ladies saw themselves as the official hostesses of the California fashion industry, and they did not hesitate to reach out to buyers and the press to promote their designs and those of their peers. They always presented a united front on union and industry decisions, and even showed their collections together as a sign of solidarity. Louella Ballerino and Agnes Barrett were also members of this unique organization that also included Peggy Hunt, Marjorie Montgomery, Irene Bury, Mabs Barnes, and Viola Dimmitt.</p>
<p><img alt="Affiliated" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095a41cd970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095a41cd970d-800wi" title="Affiliated" /></p>
<p><em>California Stylist, </em>September 1942; courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Costumes &amp; Textiles Department. Top Left: Addie Masters.</p>
<p>We hope you&#39;ll stop by our FIDM Orange County campus and take a look at Masters&#39; work in person. The exhibition is open until June 10, 2017, and open to the public by appointment; please call&#0160;949.851.6200.</p>FIDM Museum2016-12-02T11:58:38-08:00Madame Virothttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/11/madame-virot.html
It's no secret that hats of the 19th century were a flight of fancy; this 1894-1897 chapeau by Madame Virot literally takes flight with a decorative bird head and feathers incorporated into the design. We only wish we could have seen the ensemble that was worn with this show-stopping topper! Hat, 1894 - 1897 French, Madame Virot Museum Purchase: Funds provided by Barbara Bundy 2008.37.9 This hat was featured in the FIDM Museum 2011 exhibition Fabulous! Ten Years of FIDM Museum Acquisitions, 2000 - 2010. An excerpt from the Fabulous! catalogue sheds light on Madame Virot and her relationship to...<p>It&#39;s no secret that hats of the 19th century were a flight of fancy; this 1894-1897&#0160;<em>chapeau&#0160;</em>by Madame Virot literally takes flight with a&#0160;decorative bird head and feathers incorporated into the design. We only wish we could have seen the ensemble&#0160;that was worn with this show-stopping topper!</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b21d5970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2008379-2" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b21d5970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b21d5970c-800wi" title="2008379-2" /></a></p>
<p>Hat,&#0160;1894 - 1897<br />French, Madame Virot<br />Museum Purchase: Funds provided by Barbara Bundy<br />2008.37.9</p>
<p>This hat was featured in the FIDM Museum 2011 exhibition <em><a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/past/fashion/fabulous-ten-years-of-fidm-museum-acquisitions-2000-2010/">Fabulous! Ten Years of FIDM Museum Acquisitions, 2000 - 2010</a></em>. An excerpt from the&#0160;<em>Fabulous!&#0160;</em>catalogue sheds light on Madame Virot and her relationship to the Paris <em>haute couture</em>:</p>
<p>&quot;Dressing at the very highest levels of society meant donning many types of garments, all with their own unique accessories. For a woman of fashion, this meant a considerable investment of time, including biannual trips to Paris for selections and fittings. In the late nineteenth century, the House of Worth was often the first destination for gowns followed by a short promenade to the House of Virot for millinery; they were located next door to one another on the stylish Rue de la Paix. There was no higher form of fashion than to wear a Worth dress with a Virot hat. Indeed, these two&#0160;<em>maisons</em> appeared together on dozens of&#0160;<em>Harper&#39;s Bazar&#0160;</em>covers by well-known illustrator Adolphe-Charles Sandoz (1845- c. 1925). For a coordinated ensemble, an extra length of material could be acquired from a&#0160;<em>couture</em> house for making up into any form of custom headwear, perhaps including the absinthe green silk velvet on this Virot creation.&quot;</p>
<p><em>-</em>&#0160;From <em>Fabulous!&#0160;</em>by&#0160;Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson,&#0160;FIDM Museum Press, Los Angeles, California, 2011 &#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095451a2970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2008379" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095451a2970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb095451a2970d-800wi" title="2008379" /></a></p>
<p>The whimsical appearance of another Madame Virot hat in our collection belies the complicated construction underneath the silk and sequins. This toque showcases the workmanship and glamour of&#0160;Parisian millinery at the turn of the century.&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b2279970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010519-7" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b2279970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23b2279970c-800wi" title="2010519-7" /></a></p>
<p>Hat,&#0160;1895-1897 &#0160;<br />French, Madame Virot<br />Museum Purchase; Funds Provided by Lois Rose Rose and Florine Sikking in honor of Donnie Smith<br />2010.5.19 &#0160; &#0160;<br />&#0160; &#0160;&#0160;<br />By the way, did you know FIDM Museum exhibition catalogues can be <a href="http://thefidmmuseumstore.org/">purchased online</a>? They make fantastic gifts for the holidays - if you can&#39;t get a Madame Virot hat under the tree, our books are the next best thing!</p>
<p>&#0160;</p>
<p>&#0160;</p>FIDM Museum2016-11-22T13:14:00-08:00Sun-Drenched Style Now Openhttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/11/sun-drenched-style-now-open.html
“Something new under the sun! Something daring and different!” A 1946 California Fashion Promotion in the Chicago Daily Tribune proclaimed that West Coast fashion was at the cutting edge of casual clothes, designing on-trend sportswear that fit all aspects of a modern lifestyle. In the FIDM Museum's latest exhibition Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers, we focus on five women who contributed to California's reputation as a style center in the mid-twentieth century. Louella Ballerino, Margit Fellegi, Agnes Barrett, Addie Masters, and Rose Marie Reid understood the evolving wardrobe needs of women, and provided fashionable solutions that could adapt to...<p>“Something new under the sun! Something daring and different!” A 1946&#0160;California Fashion Promotion in the <em>Chicago Daily Tribune </em>proclaimed that West Coast fashion was at the cutting edge of casual clothes, designing on-trend sportswear that fit all aspects of a&#0160;modern lifestyle. In the FIDM Museum&#39;s latest exhibition&#0160;<em><a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org//exhibitions/current/#art-of-television-costume-design">Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers</a></em>, we focus on five women who contributed to California&#39;s reputation as a style center in the mid-twentieth century. Louella Ballerino, Margit Fellegi, Agnes Barrett, Addie Masters, and Rose Marie Reid understood the evolving wardrobe needs of women, and provided fashionable solutions that could adapt to a changing way of life. From outdoor barbecues to poolside cocktails, all of the ensembles in our exhibition uniquely are suited to California activities, both indoor and outdoor. We examine how modern architecture influenced fashion, and why these five designers in particular were so important in California&#39;s fashion journey.&#0160;</p>
<p>On Saturday, November 12, the FIDM Museum Fashion Council hosted its annual Fall Lecture Day in conjunction with the opening of&#0160;<em>Sun-Drenched Style</em>. Mid-century California cuisine complimented bright bird of paradise centerpieces and atomic turquoise napkins - everything was on theme down to the last jello mold! After attendees explored the new exhibition, they listened to three presentations on the fashion, interior design, and textiles of the era:&#0160;how women designers shaped California fashion, how architecture and art co-existed with clothing, and what advances were made in textile technology and design.&#0160;</p>
<p>Thank you to all who attended our opening luncheon and lecture day! We invite everyone to visit the FIDM Orange County campus to see&#0160;<em>Sun-Drenched Style</em>, open now until June 10. Call 949.851.6200 to make an appointment! FIDM Orange County is located at&#0160;17590 Gilette Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b09522970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267969--G111216A-0073B" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b09522970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8b09522970b-800wi" title="267969--G111216A-0073B" /></a></p>
<p>Sun-Drenched Style Gallery, exhibition design by FIDM Museum Creative Director Peter Lam</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65c3970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267954--G111216A-0155" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65c3970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65c3970c-800wi" title="267954--G111216A-0155" /></a></p>
<p>Speaker Leigh Wishner with FIDM Museum Associate Curator Christina Johnson</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a66ff970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267958--G111216A-0171" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a66ff970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a66ff970c-800wi" title="267958--G111216A-0171" /></a></p>
<p>Mary Roosevelt, FIDM Museum Director Barbara Bundy, and Fashion Council Chair Mima Ransom</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539398970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267959--G111216A-0177" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539398970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539398970d-800wi" title="267959--G111216A-0177" /></a></p>
<p>FIDM Museum Associate Joanna Abijaoude&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65f6970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267955--G111216A-0159A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65f6970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65f6970c-800wi" title="267955--G111216A-0159A" /></a></p>
<p>FIDM Interior Design Chair Dina Morgan and FIDM Museum Curator Kevin Jones</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539410970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267968--G111216A-0026" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539410970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09539410970d-800wi" title="267968--G111216A-0026" /></a></p>
<p>Gorgeous bird of paradise centerpieces</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65d9970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267962--G111216A-0004A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65d9970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65d9970c-800wi" title="267962--G111216A-0004A" /></a></p>
<p>Crop top, Louella Ballerino, 1946, Gift of Patricia Marks; Jeans, Crown Play Togs, 1940s, Museum Purchase; Handkerchief, c. 1950, Gift of Anonymous Donor; Belt, 1940s, Gift of Steven Porterfield</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb0953937e970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267970--G111216A-0085A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb0953937e970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb0953937e970d-800wi" title="267970--G111216A-0085A" /></a></p>
<p>Ensemble by Agnes Barrett (left) and blouse by Addie Masters (right)</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65e3970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="267952--G111216A-0147" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65e3970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d23a65e3970c-800wi" title="267952--G111216A-0147" /></a></p>
<p>Colleen Crosby and Diane Yoshitomi embrace the exhibition&#39;s mid-century theme!</p>
<p>&#0160;</p>Fashion CouncilOut & AboutSun-Drenched StyleSwimwearFIDM Museum2016-11-16T16:43:14-08:00Confessions of a Curator: Fashioning Fidohttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/11/confessions-of-a-curator-fashioning-fido.html
We're back with another edition of Confessions of a Curator, blog entries written by our Curators about their ongoing projects and special interests. Dog lovers, it's your lucky day: Associate Curator Christina Johnson treats us to a history of dogs in fashion, spurred by the gift of an adorable 1903 puppy fan from our generous donor Mona Lee Nesseth. Enjoy! ********************************************************************************************************************************** Fan, 1903 Maison Duvelleroy Adolphe Thomasse, artist Gift of Mona Lee Nesseth, 2016.975.12 Anyone who really knows me knows I love dogs. I always have—ever since I was a child. Growing up, our dogs were treated as beloved family...<p>We&#39;re back with another edition of <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/05/confessions-of-a-curator-christina-johnson-.html">Confessions of a Curator</a>, blog entries written by our Curators about their ongoing projects and <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/08/confessions-of-a-curator-censored.html">special interests</a>. Dog lovers, it&#39;s&#0160;your lucky day: Associate Curator Christina Johnson treats us to a history of dogs in fashion, spurred by the gift of an adorable 1903 puppy <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/06/women-are-armed-with-fans.html">fan</a> from our generous donor <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/06/qa-with-mona-lee-nesseth.html">Mona Lee Nesseth</a>. Enjoy!</p>
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<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba032970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_5129" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba032970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba032970b-800wi" title="IMG_5129" /></a></p>
<p>Fan, 1903<br />Maison Duvelleroy<br />Adolphe Thomasse, artist<br />Gift of Mona Lee Nesseth, 2016.975.12</p>
<p>Anyone who really knows me knows I love dogs. I always have—ever since I was a child. Growing up, our dogs were treated as beloved family members and I was deeply attached to them. Today, I spoil my own dogs and admit to watching more than my fair share of funny dog videos online. More seriously, I consider my activities in canine rescue and advocacy some of the most important accomplishments of my life.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba041970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_5194" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba041970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba041970b-800wi" title="IMG_5194" /></a></p>
<p><em>Les Modes Parisiennes</em> Peterson’s Magazine<br />July 1869<br />2015.897.86<br />Gift of Steven Porterfield</p>
<p>Ok, so maybe you’re asking, “Great Christina, you’re obsessed with dogs! What does this even have to do with fashion?” Well, it turns out people have long been obsessed with their canine companions—just as much as fashion. Dogs have made their way into fashion plates, portraits, jewelry, fans—you name the fashionable accessory and I can show you a dog.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2355f38970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Johann_Zoffany_Archduchess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen, (1742-1798) Kunshistoriches" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2355f38970c img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2355f38970c-800wi" title="Johann_Zoffany_Archduchess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen, (1742-1798) Kunshistoriches" /></a></p>
<p>Portrait of Archduchess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen<br />Johan Zoffany, 1776<br />Courtesy Kunsthistorisches Museum</p>
<p>A bit of history: scholars believe dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago. Wild dogs developed connections to people who fed them scraps of food in exchange for their guarding and herding abilities. Emotional attachments most certainly formed. Let’s fast forward to the Early Modern era (about 1500-1800): diminutive “lap” or “toy” dogs were considered an intrinsic part of the domestic, feminine sphere—at least for wealthy ladies. Small dogs often make their appearance in period portraiture, generally on their mistress’s lap. Popular breeds were artistically recorded as an intrinsic part of a privileged setting, one item in a litany of important accessories required by those in Society, which also included the latest luxurious furnishings and fashions.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d235601a970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2008.46.81-1" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d235601a970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d235601a970c-800wi" title="2008.46.81-1" /></a></p>
<p>Brooch with ambrotype of dog &amp; lock of fur<br />1860-1880<br />Gift of Andrea Tice in memory of Carmelita Johnson<br />2008.46.81&#0160;</p>
<p>Designer dog breeds are nothing new; they were all the rage in the mid-nineteenth century. Victorians’ interest in Darwinian classification and evolution coupled with commercial desires for what social theorist Thorstein Veblen (1857-1929) later termed “conspicuous consumption” causing pups to be selectively bred and valued unlike ever before. The first recorded dog show in Great Britain was held in 1859.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> &#0160;Our own American Kennel Club was founded in 1884. That year, one author expounded: “The best products of the kennels of Europe and quaint sorts from the far East are eagerly sought for by our people, without regard to cost.”<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> There was also a growing concern for animal welfare during the late-nineteenth century; shelters were opened for lost dogs, the veterinary profession was established, and pet cemeteries appeared.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a></p>
<p><strong><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094e9b94970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_5129" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094e9b94970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094e9b94970d-800wi" title="IMG_5129" /></a></strong></p>
<p><strong> <a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1cb970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_5130" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1cb970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1cb970b-800wi" title="IMG_5130" /></a></strong></p>
<p>So what about that charming brisé fan posted at the beginning of the blog? When our amazing FIDM Museum benefactor and Fashion Council member <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2013/08/donor-interview-mona-nesseth-on-hand-fans.html">Mona Lee Nesseth</a><strong>&#0160;</strong>showed it to Kevin and me recently, we knew we had to acquire it. Mona has been instrumental in underwriting the purchase of many <a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/past/fashion/#hooped-dress-of-the-1860s">astounding fans for the FIDM Museum</a>&#0160;over the past few years, and this one is now officially my favorite. It’s signed “<a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2013/12/duvelleroy-fan-bag-1890s.html">Duvelleroy Paris</a>” and is quite small at about six inches high by six inches across. It depicts the front and back of a spaniel’s head—life size mind you. Specifically, this is a “Blenheim” King Charles Spaniel (a breed related to today’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). The breed descended from the chestnut and white hunting spaniels kept by the first Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722) at Blenheim Palace, his estate in Oxfordshire, England. A riding whip is rendered on the guard, referencing the fact that these spaniels were specifically bred to join the hunt, rushing at underbrush or wading into water in order to search out birds. Our little pup (let’s call him Fido) wears a studded collar and his silky coat is well-groomed, suggesting he represents a domesticated pet who “belonged” to someone.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1b3970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_5169" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1b3970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1b3970b-800wi" title="IMG_5169" /></a></p>
<p>Duvelleroy Paris catalog, 1903, page 6.</p>
<p>Fido’s diminutive size made me wonder if this could be a child’s fan, but it’s extremely delicate. A tyke would easily snap apart the wafer-thin wooden sticks and scratch the finely rendered, unvarnished paint. I searched French sources for contemporary references to this treasure and found it advertised in a 1903 Duvelleroy catalog. Fido shares the page with a group of more traditional feathered and sequined fans—all women’s. Nowhere is the little spaniel fan described as a child’s. Then it dawned on me, the size is about the same as fans of a century before—it’s simply Empire Revival size; the small scale makes it all the more precious. Note size does equate to cost. The much larger spangled fan above it is only 50 francs, while the more substantial feather fan nearby is only 25 to 50 francs more than our painted wood <em>chien de </em>Thomasse, priced at 100 francs.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1f3970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Cropped" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1f3970b img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba1f3970b-800wi" title="Cropped" /></a>&#0160;</p>
<p>This sweet little pup is just one of the famous animal fans painted by Adolphe Thomasse (1850-1930), often sold by <a href="http://eventail-duvelleroy.fr/en/">Duvelleroy</a><strong>&#0160;</strong>(company active 1827 to present). Thomasse painted a menagerie of lifelike animals, including dogs, cats, and birds. The FIDM Museum’s King Charles Spaniel fan was the perfect accessory for a turn-of-the-century dog fancier who may have read about the Blenheim spaniels in a 1901 guide to show dogs: “Much has been said about these dogs being inclined to be ill-tempered, but it is certainly a gross libel, as they, like the rest of the small spaniels used in the field, are most gentle in disposition.”<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a></p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba200970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Clem" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba200970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aba200970b-800wi" title="Clem" /></a>Clementine Johnson&#0160;</p>
<p>Do you really think I would end my blog post without bringing it back to my own obsession? Since you asked, I just happen to have a photo of one of my own cherished dogs to show you. Don’t you think Clementine would look great as a hand-painted fan? I’d know I’d buy one!</p>
<p>&#0160;</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> Vesey-Fitzgerald, Brian. <em>The Domestic Dog. </em>London: Routledge, 1957. 143</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> <em>The Century</em>, May 1885. Re-published in Derr, Mark. <em>A Dog’s History of America</em>. New York: North Point Press, 2004.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> Howell, Philip. “A Place for the Animal Dead,” in <em>At Home and Astray: The Domestic Dog in Victorian Britain</em>. Charlottesville and London: University of Virginia Press, 2015.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4">[4]</a> Huntington, Harry. <em>The show dog; being a book devoted to describing the cardinal virtues and objectionable features of all breeds of dogs from the show ring standpoint</em>…” Providence, RI: Remington Print Co, 1901. p192</p>FIDM Museum2016-11-02T18:05:43-07:00Remembering James Galanoshttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/remembering-james-galanos.html
All of us at the FIDM Museum were saddened to learn of James Galanos' passing at the age of 92 over the weekend. The Los Angeles-based couture designer was known for dressing the 20th century's brightest socialites, including Nancy Reagan and Betsy Bloomingdale. Galanos and Bloomingdale met at the Amelia Gray boutique in Beverly Hills; she later called his atelier "couture on Sepulveda Boulevard!" Bloomingdale admired his fine fabrics and beautiful construction, and remarked that his clothes were so well made, they could be worn inside out. Their relationship was highlighted in the FIDM Museum's 2009 exhibition High Style: Betsy...<p>All of us at the FIDM Museum were saddened to learn of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/31/fashion/james-galanos-fashion-designer-for-the-elite-dies-at-92.html?_r=0">James Galanos</a>&#39; passing at the age of 92 over the weekend. The Los Angeles-based couture designer was known for dressing the 20th century&#39;s brightest socialites, including Nancy Reagan and Betsy Bloomingdale. Galanos and Bloomingdale met at the Amelia Gray boutique in Beverly Hills; she later called his atelier &quot;couture on Sepulveda Boulevard!&quot; Bloomingdale&#0160;admired his fine fabrics and beautiful construction, and remarked that his clothes were so well made, they could be worn inside out. Their relationship was highlighted in the FIDM Museum&#39;s 2009 exhibition <em><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/10/high-style-betsy-bloomingdale-and-the-haute-couture-opens.html">High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture</a></em>. Curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson had the opportunity to speak with Galanos while researching the couture process for this exhibition (watch a video with excerpts from that interview <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/11/the-couture-process.html">here</a>). Galanos was a master of simple shapes, exquisite tailoring, and restraint; his designs were always elegant and beautifully crafted, but never excessive. Read about the Museum&#39;s 1950s Galanos&#0160;<a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2010/07/james-galanos-cocktail-dress-c-1955.html">cocktail dress</a>, early 1960s <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2015/10/givenchy-scarf-suit.html">suit</a>, and late 1960s <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2015/08/betsy-galanos.html">nude-look ensembles</a>, and scroll down to see more Galanos highlights from the FIDM Museum Collection.&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da909970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="09343j_beiFIDM101709-0629" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da909970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da909970d-800wi" title="09343j_beiFIDM101709-0629" /></a></p>
<p>James Galanos with Betsy Bloomingdale at the opening of&#0160;<em>High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture,&#0160;</em>2009. Photo by ABImages.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347173970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="200611621ae" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347173970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347173970c-800wi" title="200611621ae" /></a></p>
<p>Evening&#0160;ensemble<br />1969<br />Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale<br />2006.116.21A-E</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da234970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="200611621ae-5" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da234970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da234970d-800wi" title="200611621ae-5" /></a></p>
<p>Betsy Bloomingdale wearing a Galanos ensemble and turban by Halston at the Bal Oriental, thrown in 1969 by the&#0160;Baron Alexis de Rede in the Isle St. Louis. Mrs. Bloomingdale called this party &quot;One of the last great balls in Paris,&quot; with live elephants in the courtyard and all the guests dressed exquisitely.&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da244970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="7711611ac" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da244970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da244970d-800wi" title="7711611ac" /></a></p>
<p>Coat, blouse and skirt ensemble<br />1970-72<br />Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale<br />77.116.11A-C</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da24b970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="20034032" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da24b970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb094da24b970d-800wi" title="20034032" /></a></p>
<p>Cocktail dress<br />1966-67<br />Gift of Anonymous Donor<br />2003.40.32</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa5fc970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="7711612ab" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa5fc970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa5fc970b-800wi" title="7711612ab" /></a></p>
<p>Jacket and dress ensemble<br />c. 1965<br />Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale<br />77.116.12AB</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa605970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="811781" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa605970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa605970b-800wi" title="811781" /></a></p>
<p>Evening gown<br />c. 1976<br />Gift of Mrs. John Cella<br />81.178.1</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347214970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="7711619ab" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347214970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2347214970c-800wi" title="7711619ab" /></a></p>
<p>Jacket and dress ensemble<br />c. 1965<br />Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale<br />77.116.19AB</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa62e970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="200611664ab" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa62e970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa62e970b-800wi" title="200611664ab" /></a></p>
<p>Dress and vest ensemble<br />Fall 1970<br />Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale<br />2006.116.64AB</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa790970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="200611664ab-4-large" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa790970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c8aaa790970b-800wi" title="200611664ab-4-large" /></a></p>
<p><em>Vogue,&#0160;</em>November 1970</p>1960s1970s20th centuryBetsy BloomingdaleHigh StyleJames GalanosFIDM Museum2016-10-31T13:29:46-07:00Sun-Drenched Style: Louella Ballerino http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/sun-drenched-style-louella-ballerino-.html
We are less than one month from the opening of our FIDM Orange County campus exhibition Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers. We hope you'll join us for the opening day event on November 12, where you can enjoy California cuisine and lectures exploring the era's fashions and interior design. The women featured in the exhibition might not be immediately familiar to you; we are highlighting influential designers who made significant contributions to California style, but perhaps were not recognized nationally. Louella Ballerino was a celebrated designer known for incorporating elements of South American, Native American, and Mexican culture into...<p>We are less than one month from the opening of our FIDM Orange County campus exhibition <em><a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/upcoming/">Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers</a>.&#0160;</em>We hope you&#39;ll join us for the <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/sun-drenched-style-luncheon-lecture-day.html">opening day event</a> on November 12, where you can enjoy California cuisine and lectures exploring the era&#39;s fashions and interior design.</p>
<p>The women featured in the exhibition might not be immediately familiar to you; we are highlighting influential designers who made significant contributions to California style, but perhaps were not recognized nationally.&#0160;<a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/08/louella-ballerino.html">Louella Ballerino</a>&#0160;was a celebrated designer known for incorporating elements of South American, Native American, and Mexican culture into her collections. The Louella Ballerino post below was first published in July 2011, and became the second most popular post of 2011. It describes how a serendipitous find dramatically altered our understanding of a midriff-baring 1940s Ballerino crop top in our collection - a garment you can see in person in <em>Sun-Drenched Style</em>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">************</p>
<p>In 2003, a black and coral crop top was donated to the FIDM Museum. The top is of coral silk, with black silk appliques in a stylized floral pattern. Accompanying the donation was a snapshot of the donor actually wearing the top. We love this kind of supporting documentation! Here&#39;s the photo, taken someplace in southern California and dated 1946.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb7172b970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Ballerino pic" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb7172b970d image-full" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb7172b970d-800wi" title="Ballerino pic" /></a>Photo of donor in the coral and black crop top<br />1946<br />Gift of Patricia Marks</p>
<p>During the mid 1940s, the crop top, or midriff top, was widely popular. Exposed midriffs were seen in swimsuits, playsuits and even evening gowns. A Jan 1946 fashion spread in the <em>New York Times</em> highlighted full-length evening gowns with exposed midriffs and cut-out backs. The accompanying copy reads, &quot;Fashion is baring the midriff this season not only for sports wear, but for evening.&quot;<sup>1</sup> As the photo above documents, the bare midriff was more than a trend promoted by the fashion press; it was also adopted by the woman in the street.</p>
<p>An exposed midriff may have been the re-emergence of a fashion trend interrupted by World War II. The 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition, which was designed to showcase the success of France&#39;s colonial empire, brought the dress, arts and architecture of France&#39;s far-flung colonies to the people of Paris. At the time of the Colonial Exposition, France&#39;s colonies included vast areas of Africa, Indochina (now Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and portions of Thailand), and French Polynesia. French couturiers found the dress of Polynesia and Indochina particularly inspiring, rapidly incorporating these areas of the world into their aesthetic inspiration. A Jacques Heim pareo-style 2-piece bathing suit was inspired by the Tahitian exhibits and was a particular hit, with later versions appearing in <em>Harper&#39;s Bazaar</em>.<sup>2</sup> In 1939, <em>Life</em> featured several bare midriff dresses, noting that the style had gained popularity over the last several years.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb71b23970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Ballerino top front" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb71b23970d image-full" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0162feb71b23970d-800wi" title="Ballerino top front" /></a>Midriff top<br />Louella Ballerino<br />1946<br />Gift of Patricia Marks<br />2003.45.1</p>
<p>Though the sartorial austerity of World War II may have briefly constrained the popularity of the midriff top, by 1945 it was back in force. Despite its popularity, the midriff top was not without controversy. In 1945, a young woman was fined $2 for wearing a &quot;halter and shorts with nude midriff&quot; in Central Park.<sup>3</sup> The fine was in lieu of spending 2 days in jail! In 1946, a Bermuda women&#39;s association worked to enact legislation prohibiting a bare midriff, even when at the beach. This attempt to regulate the midriff failed, resulting in no new laws. In southern California, bare midriffs did not inspire any particular outcry. Perfect for fun in the sun, the bare midriff style was quickly absorbed into the relaxed, leisure-oriented California wardrobe.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acefe8970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Ballerino back" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acefe8970c image-full" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acefe8970c-800wi" title="Ballerino back" /></a>2003.45.1 Back view</p>
<p>With no label and no information from the donor, we had no idea who had designed and/or manufactured this midriff top. Several years after the initial donation, <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2010/01/howard-greer.html" target="_blank">a researcher</a> working on the California designers in our collection happened to spot an image of this exact top while paging through <em>California Stylist</em>. And with that serendipitous find, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. Our 1946 midriff top was designed by Louella Ballerino, one of the preeminent designers of California sportswear. This made perfect sense, as Ballerino is noted for her reinterpretations of non-western styles. In the <em>California Stylist</em> ad pictured below, the midriff top is paired with an ensemble that clearly shows the influence of Latin America. Our top, with its appliqued black silk designs, may have also been inspired by Ballerino&#39;s research into the dress and culture of Latin America. To learn more about Ballerino, revisit our post on the garment that launched her career, a <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/08/louella-ballerino.html#more" target="_blank">hopsack dress with a geometric black and green border print</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acdd80970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Ballerino ad" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acdd80970c image-full" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c0168e4acdd80970c-800wi" title="Ballerino ad" /></a>Advertisement for Louella Ballerino<br /><em>California Stylist</em>, March 1946<br />Photo courtesy of the <a href="http://www.lacma.org/art/collection/costume-and-textiles" target="_blank">Los Angeles County Museum of Art</a></p>
<p>1 Pope, Virginia. &quot;Bare Facts of Fashion.&quot; <em>New York Times.</em> 20 Jan. 1946: 95.<br />2 Mears, Patricia. &quot;Orientalism.&quot; <em>Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion.</em> Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner&#39;s Sons, 2005. 4-7. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 July 2011.<br />3 &quot;Park Isn&#39;t In Florida.&quot; <em>New York Times.</em> 24 July 1945: 20.</p>FIDM Museum2016-10-19T22:00:20-07:00Costume Designer Roundtablehttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/costume-designer-roundtable.html
The 10th Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibition is coming to a close on October 15, but we wanted our featured costume designers to have one final say about their work! FIDM Museum Newsletter Editor Elizabeth Hinckley reached out to a few designers for an informal roundtable discussion about the challenges and joys of creating television costumes. Is there something in particular that you want visitors to know, understand, or appreciate about your costumes for your show? Daniel Lawson, The Good Wife: I think one of the main ideas I would like visitors to appreciate about the wardrobe in...<p>The&#0160;10th <a href="http://fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/current/#art-of-television-costume-design">Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design</a> exhibition is coming to a close on October 15, but we wanted our featured costume designers to have one final say about their work! FIDM Museum Newsletter Editor <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/06/qa-with-mona-lee-nesseth.html">Elizabeth Hinckley</a>&#0160;reached out to a few designers for an informal roundtable discussion about the challenges and joys of creating television costumes.&#0160;</p>
<p><strong>Is there something in particular that you want visitors to know, understand, or appreciate about your costumes for your show?</strong></p>
<p>Daniel Lawson,<em>&#0160;The Good Wife:</em></p>
<p>I think one of the main ideas I would like visitors to appreciate about the wardrobe in TGW is how much work and thought really goes into creating character delineation utilizing mostly workwear - and in that world, mostly suits. I wanted the TGW wardrobe to be elegant, chic at times, understated at times, with solid elements of reality while also showing an elevated level of aspirational style.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426ec7970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266089--G073016A-0337" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426ec7970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426ec7970d-800wi" title="266089--G073016A-0337" /></a></p>
<p>Ruth Carter at the Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design opening night; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Ruth Carter<em>&#0160;—&#0160;ROOTS:</em></p>
<p>My greatest challenge in creating the costumes for <em>ROOTS</em> was telling the family story with clothing. &#0160;It involved a tremendous amount of historical study in the facts about slave conditions, their psychology of dress and understanding day-to-day challenges they faced within the 100 years of slavery in America whilst keeping the memory of Kunta Kinte alive.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d22909a9970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="265990--F072916A-0009A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d22909a9970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d22909a9970c-800wi" title="265990--F072916A-0009A" /></a></p>
<p><em>ROOTS&#0160;</em>costumes; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/09/interview-with-melina-root-rachel-bloom.html">Melina Root,&#0160;<em>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</em>:</a></p>
<p>Our show is a musical comedy about the dark edges of love and&#0160;romance - Rebecca Bunch is a complicated, contradictory character, who is a sartorial “work in progress.” &#0160;Her real time clothes are purposeful and people pleasing - it’s in her fantasies that we see her real thoughts and desires. &#0160;For instance, the wild, bedazzled turkey bra costume is the alter ego of the prim blue “I Give Good Parent” dress. &#0160;She wears the twirling blue chiffon “Settle For Me” gown in a perky 1930s dance sequence that’s undercut by the song’s depressing lyrics about romantic compromise.</p>
<p>Lou Eyrich,&#0160;<em>Scream Queens</em>:</p>
<p>From the start of prep on Scream Queens, Ryan Murphy wanted a palette of sherberts and frosty pastels. We wanted to show the division between the Chanels, who ruled the sorority and the girls who were hopeful to be accepted into the sorority. So having the Chanels in pastels, and the others in mostly earth tones, it was a quick distinction, tone-wise. &#0160;Also, having the Chanels always in feathers, fur and ridiculous high heels on campus definitely separated them from the pack!</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290a4b970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266011--F072916A-0119" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290a4b970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290a4b970c-800wi" title="266011--F072916A-0119" /></a></p>
<p>Shoes featured in&#0160;<em>Scream Queens</em>; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Paolo Nieddu,&#0160;<em>Empire</em>:</p>
<p>I would want the audience to allow themselves to be entertained by the glamour that is the world of <em>Empire</em> as told through my costume choices.</p>
<p><strong>Can you share the biggest reward of working on this show?</strong></p>
<p><strong> <a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c89f43d0970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266053--G073016A-0066A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c89f43d0970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b7c89f43d0970b-800wi" title="266053--G073016A-0066A" /></a></strong></p>
<p>Daniel Lawson in front of his designs at the exhibition opening; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Daniel Lawson,<em>&#0160;The Good Wife:</em></p>
<p>Certainly meeting and working with Robert and Michelle King, the creators of TGW along with collaborating with Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski were two of the biggest rewards for me working on TGW. I really loved doing this show and every costume and every element was incredibly important to me. It was also rewarding to be able to work with a studio, CBS, that allowed me to continuously design looks and closets that changed as the characters and stories changed. That made me feel very satisfied to be able to really help tell the story through the wardrobe and to support the writers&#39; visions as well as the actors&#39; visions.</p>
<p>Melina Root,&#0160;<em>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</em>:</p>
<p>Being part of an amazing collaborative creative team.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290956970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266055--G073016A-0083A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290956970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290956970c-800wi" title="266055--G073016A-0083A" /></a></p>
<p>Lou Eyrich at the&#0160;exhibition opening night party; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Lou Eyrich,&#0160;<em>Scream Queens</em>:</p>
<p>The biggest reward for me, for working on the show, was getting to create all the different character’s costumes and watching them come to life in the fitting room and then on set. &#0160;</p>
<p>Paolo Nieddu,&#0160;<em>Empire</em>:</p>
<p>I very proud to be a part of something that so many people respond to and to be able to share my vision with all the viewers is exciting.</p>
<p><strong>What is one of the biggest challenges about working on this show?</strong></p>
<p>Daniel Lawson,<em>&#0160;The Good Wife:</em></p>
<p>I&#39;ve always said that my biggest challenge on the show was controlling the use of black and bringing as many active neutrals into the palette without losing the sense of appropriateness, while utilizing &quot;pop&quot; colors for emphasis that didn&#39;t overwhelm the understated palette of a law firm.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290992970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266103--G073016A-0465 (1)" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290992970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2290992970c-800wi" title="266103--G073016A-0465 (1)" /></a></p>
<p>Melina Root and Rachel Bloom at the exhibition&#39;s opening night; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Melina Root,&#0160;<em>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</em>:</p>
<p>The time frame - we shoot a new episode every 6 days!</p>
<p>Lou Eyrich,&#0160;<em>Scream Queens</em>:</p>
<p>The biggest challenge was also the biggest reward, as stated above. &#0160;Having to create so many different characters, no matter how subtle or extreme, was certainly a challenge. It was also a real challenge to continue to find so many pastel options in a season where not many designers were using pastels! Lauren Bott, who was the Co-Designer with me, and took over the show after I left, was a wiz online, unearthing pastel treasures and contacting designers who could either make or send from their showrooms.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d229095b970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266054--G073016A-0075A" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d229095b970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d229095b970c-800wi" title="266054--G073016A-0075A" /></a></p>
<p>Paolo Nieddu on opening night; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Paolo Nieddu,&#0160;<em>Empire</em>:</p>
<p>I would have to say time! We only have 8 days to film an episode and then we are right on to the next one! With the meetings, the fittings, the shopping and establishing the episode your actually shooting it can be a lot to juggle at once.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426f8f970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266045--G072916A-0450" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426f8f970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb09426f8f970d-800wi" title="266045--G072916A-0450" /></a></p>
<p>Costumes from&#0160;<em>Empire</em>; photo by ABImages.</p>
<p>Thank you to all of the talented costume designers who participated in this year&#39;s exhibition! You have three more days to see their creations up close...</p>Art of Television Costume DesignCostume designQuestionsFIDM Museum2016-10-12T15:53:40-07:00Sun-Drenched Style Luncheon & Lecture Dayhttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/sun-drenched-style-luncheon-lecture-day.html
Calling all Mid-Century Modern fans! The FIDM Museum Fashion Council invites you to Sun-Drenched Style, an afternoon celebrating California mid-century fashion and cuisine on Saturday, November 12, 2016 on the FIDM Orange County campus. You'll enjoy a fabulous retro luncheon full of your favorite nostalgic foods, from pigs in a blanket to lime jello! Explore the Museum's latest exhibition in the Orange County gallery, Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers, featuring the work of Louella Ballerino, Agnes Barrett, Margit Fellegi, Addie Masters, and Rose Marie Reid. Listen to presentations on the era's fashion, textiles, and interior design, and learn how...<p>Calling all Mid-Century Modern fans! The FIDM Museum Fashion Council&#0160;invites you to&#0160;<em>Sun-Drenched Style</em>, an afternoon celebrating California mid-century fashion&#0160;and&#0160;cuisine&#0160;on Saturday, November 12, 2016 on the FIDM Orange County campus. You&#39;ll enjoy a fabulous retro luncheon full of your favorite nostalgic foods, from pigs in a blanket to lime jello! Explore the Museum&#39;s latest exhibition in the Orange County gallery,&#0160;<em>Sun-Drenched Style: California Mid-Century Women Designers</em>, featuring the work of Louella Ballerino, Agnes Barrett, Margit Fellegi, Addie Masters, and Rose Marie Reid. Listen to presentations on the era&#39;s fashion, textiles, and interior design, and learn how California became a national trend-setter for the casual-cool outdoor lifestyle.&#0160;</p>
<p>Tickets are $85, with proceeds to benefit the FIDM Museum. See the full invitation below for more information, and click <a href="http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=f8j7q7bab&amp;oeidk=a07ed9q4h7cdf95042e">HERE</a> to register now!</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2262f9a970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Unnamed" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2262f9a970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d2262f9a970c-800wi" title="Unnamed" /></a></p>FIDM Museum2016-10-06T16:37:14-07:00Seeking Spring 2017 Museum Internhttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/10/seeking-spring-2017-museum-intern.html
Intern with the FIDM Museum! We are currently seeking a talented and motivated intern to assist with a variety of projects. Assignments may include exhibition installation, curatorial research, object cataloguing, or digital asset management. Previous interns have assisted with curatorial projects, organized our Special Collections, and helped with our annual Hollywood costume exhibition. Interns work closely with FIDM Museum staff and receive valuable hands-on training in collection management and museum practices. We are looking for students enrolled in a graduate program, or with plans to enroll immediately following the internship, in a field related to fashion history and/or museum studies....<p>Intern with the FIDM Museum! We are currently seeking a talented and motivated intern to assist with a variety of projects. Assignments may include exhibition installation, curatorial research, object cataloguing, or digital asset management. Previous interns have assisted with <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/08/intern-report-kasia-stempniak.html">curatorial projects</a>, organized our <a href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/09/intern-report-maurice-levin-archive.html">Special Collections</a>, and helped with our annual Hollywood costume exhibition.</p>
<p>Interns work closely with FIDM Museum staff and receive valuable hands-on training in collection management and museum practices. We are looking for students enrolled in a graduate program, or with plans to enroll immediately following the internship, in a field related to fashion history and/or museum studies. We accept students seeking academic credit; interns must make appropriate arrangements with their academic institution. We require 12 to 15 hours per week, and&#0160;please note this internship is unpaid.</p>
<p>Applications (cover letter and resumé) will be reviewed upon receipt, and qualifying applicants will be interviewed prior to beginning internship.</p>
<p><strong>Applications for the Spring&#0160;2017 internship are due Friday, November 4.</strong>&#0160;To submit your application or for additional information, contact us via email: internships@fidmmuseum.org.&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093e8c6c970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="IMG_1760" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093e8c6c970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093e8c6c970d-800wi" title="IMG_1760" /></a></p>
<p>Summer 2016 interns, volunteers, and employees!</p>FIDM Museum2016-10-03T17:25:44-07:00Thom Brownehttp://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2016/09/thom-browne.html
“Everyone told me my clothes didn’t fit, even my friends.”[1] So says celebrated designer Thom Browne, whose name is synonymous with the shrunken suit tailoring that has become the standout menswear trend of the past decade. Though he is now considered a darling of the fashion industry, his unusual take on classic tailoring was initially met with resistance. But Browne knew there was a market for his designs – he envisioned “the businessman who wants to look both conservative and cool,”[2] and transformed his personal style into a successful global label. Thom Browne Fall/Winter 2013/14, Look 8. Photo by Marcus...<p>“Everyone told me my clothes didn’t fit, even my friends.”<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>&#0160; So says celebrated designer Thom Browne, whose name is synonymous with the shrunken suit tailoring that has become the standout menswear trend of the past decade. Though he is now considered a darling of the fashion industry, his unusual take on classic tailoring was initially met with resistance. But Browne knew there was a market for his designs – he envisioned “the businessman who wants to look both conservative and cool,”<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> &#0160;and transformed his personal style into a successful global label.</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bed7970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Look 8 - Thom Browne" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bed7970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bed7970c-800wi" title="Look 8 - Thom Browne" /></a></p>
<p>Thom Browne Fall/Winter 2013/14, Look 8. Photo by Marcus Tondo, courtesy of <a href="http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2013-menswear/thom-browne/slideshow/collection#8">Vogue.com</a>.&#0160;</p>
<p>Fashion was not Browne’s immediate calling. As one of seven children raised in a Catholic family in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Browne learned the benefits of routine, self-discipline, and hard work early on – he is known for eating the same breakfast every day, ritual morning runs, and a sophisticated yet sparsely decorated apartment.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> Browne’s entire education took place at private schools, wearing the schoolboy uniform that now defines his brand’s aesthetic. He studied business at Notre Dame, but felt called to the arts; he tried acting in Los Angeles for a few years, and spent time in between auditions altering vintage men’s suits and learning the art of tailoring from Libertine designer Johnson Hartig.<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a> His official introduction into the fashion business was a job in the Georgio Armani showroom in New York, and later as part of the design team for Ralph Lauren’s Club Monaco.<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</a></p>
<p>By the time he launched his label in 2001, Browne had a clear concept for his business. The years spent among California’s casual dress code only heightened his desire to provide a provocative interpretation of classic mid-century male style, impeccably tailored and undeniably cool.<a href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6">[6]</a> Browne’s designs were radical in a time when laidback fashion dominated. When everyone else is wearing jeans and a T-shirt, “actually putting on a jacket is the anti-Establishment.”<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7">[7]</a> He was and continues to be his own best spokesperson; at the start of his business, he made five versions of his signature suit and wore it all over New York to attract the attention of potential buyers.<a href="#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8">[8]</a> Browne remains devoted to the rumpled oxford shirt, skinny tie, shrunken blazer, and pants tailored above the ankle – a uniform of sorts also worn by those who work for him. Eventually, the naysayers were proved wrong when Browne connected with his target audience. Customers enthusiastically embraced his quietly innovative designs and appreciated the fine tailoring and craftsmanship.&#0160;</p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093c597f970d-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="266423--G080116A-0016" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093c597f970d image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01bb093c597f970d-800wi" title="266423--G080116A-0016" /></a></p>
<p>Suit Ensemble (photo by AB Images)<br />Thom Browne, Fall/Winter 2013/14<br />Gift of&#0160;Thom Browne, New York<br />2013.1249.1A-K;&#0160;2013.1260.1A/E &#0160;</p>
<p>Thom Browne’s avant-garde designs are showcased in the current FIDM Museum exhibition <em><a href="http://www.fidmmuseum.org/exhibitions/current/#man-mode-dressing-the-male-ego">ManMode: Dressing the Male Ego</a></em>. The company graciously gifted the Museum with one complete look from its Fall/Winter 2013/14 season, including the accessories that were used on the runway but not sold in stores. This particular collection incorporated distinct Amish influences inspired by Browne’s upbringing in rural Pennsylvania. Amish references in the ensemble on display include a low-fitting hat, somber color palette, quilting, and star motifs (traditionally used to decorate barns). The models even staged a mock barn-raising, a grand theatrical presentation typical of Thom Browne’s shows.<a href="#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9">[9]</a> Browne was not the only designer channeling an austere Amish sensibility in the years following the global economic crisis. Dior Homme, Yohji Yamamoto, and Ann Demeulemeester, among others, were similarly drawn to the simple living of the Amish community, a visual reaction to the world’s sudden austerity.<a href="#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10">[10]</a></p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bee9970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="201312491ak-7" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bee9970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222bee9970c-800wi" title="201312491ak-7" /></a></p>
<p>Amish design details from Thom Browne&#39;s suit ensemble.</p>
<p>Thom Browne has become one of the most influential menswear designers of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Even traditional, long-established brands such as Brooks Brothers adapted to his nuanced tailoring, collaborating with Browne for eight years on their successful Black Fleece collection. He received the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award in 2006, 2013, and 2016; Michelle Obama presented him with the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in 2012, just before wearing one of his striking coats to the <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/01/michelle-obama-wears-thom-browne-to-inauguration/slideshow/2013/01/21/obama_photos/">Presidential Inauguration</a> in January 2013. Though the business plans to increase its women&#39;s line in the coming years, Browne will never stray far from the tailored menswear that brought him into the spotlight. Don&#39;t expect to see any changes in his personal schoolboy style either; according to the designer, &quot;People think wearing a uniform makes you less interesting, but I think the opposite.”<a href="#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11">[11]</a></p>
<p><a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222beef970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Thom Browne Fall 2013" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222beef970c image-full img-responsive" src="http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/.a/6a01156f47abbe970c01b8d222beef970c-800wi" title="Thom Browne Fall 2013" /></a></p>
<p>Thom Browne at the finale of his Fall/Winter 2013/14 runway presentation. Photo by Marcus Tondo, courtesy of <a href="http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2013-menswear/thom-browne/slideshow/collection#41">Vogue.com</a></p>
<p>&#0160;</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> Jean Scheidnes, “Browne Talks Design and Commerce,” <em>Women’s Wear Daily</em>, March 26, 2010.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> David Colman, “A New Trend for Men’s Wear,” <em>The New York Times</em>, October 19, 2006.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> Jessica Iredale, “Thom Browne Prefers to Be Seen and Not Heard,” <em>Women’s Wear Daily, </em>September 9, 2015.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4">[4]</a>&#0160;Thom Browne Biography, Business of Fashion,&#0160;https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/thom-browne.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5">[5]</a> Iredale, “Thom Browne Prefers to Be Seen and Not Heard.”</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6">[6]</a> Guy Trebay, “Being Thom Browne: His Moment is Now,” <em>The New York Times</em>, February 8, 2013.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7">[7]</a> Amy Larocca, “The Dapper Mr. Browne,” <em>New York Magazine</em>, March 22, 2014.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8">[8]</a> Ibid.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9">[9]</a> Trebay, “Being Thom Browne: His Moment is Now.”</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10">[10]</a> Cathy Horyn, “Amish Fashion Week,” <em>The New York Times</em>, January 23, 2011.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11">[11]</a> Colman, “A New Trend for Men’s Wear,”</p>2000s21st centuryMan Mode: Dressing the Male EgoMenswearThom BrowneFIDM Museum2016-09-28T22:49:58-07:00